Community Development Manager - ALX Africa (Addis Ababa)

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About ALX Africa

ALX Africa, a non-profit organization under the ALX Foundation, is dedicated to unlocking the potential of Africa's digital future. Formerly part of Sand Tech Holdings, we've transitioned to an independent journey to provide world-class tech skills training and career acceleration programs. Our mission is to bridge the digital divide, upskill and reskill talent, and cultivate a generation of innovative leaders. By 2030, we aim to empower 2 million Africans to secure sustainable tech careers.

With hubs in 8 cities across Africa and growing, we offer safe access to quality learning and a dedicated network of expert instructors. Our innovative programs equip learners with the practical skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving tech industry. Through rigorous coursework, industry partnerships, and hands-on projects, we prepare our students for in-demand roles in software engineering, data science, and cybersecurity.

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About the Addis City Team

Do you enjoy creating something out of nothing? Our City Teams operate as startups within a larger startup. Each City Team functions like a standalone business, blazing a new path while being supported by the history, reputation, and global network of ALX Africa’s wider ecosystem of companies and initiatives. In pursuit of our mission, we foster autonomy, creativity, and experimentation, embracing risks and learning from failure. We seek individuals with a beginner’s mindset, who are lifelong learners, thrive in uncertain and uncharted territory, and possess a deep passion for youth engagement.

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About the Role

As a Community Development Manager, you will build, nurture, and scale a thriving tech community that catalyzes powerful, transformative shared experiences and enduring relationships. In Ethiopia, our rapidly growing community includes thousands of active learners and alumni across Addis Ababa and beyond, all committed to developing careers and ventures in technology and entrepreneurship.

You will conceptualize, design, and implement a comprehensive Community Development Playbook to strategically engage and empower our diverse community of active learners and alumni, primarily aged 18–34, as they build their careers and ventures. By establishing effective systems and processes, you’ll drive higher engagement, retention, and successful outcomes for current learners, while simultaneously ensuring lifelong value and cultivating powerful, enduring relationships across our alumni network, fostering vibrant interactions and sustained community growth within the ALX ecosystem.

You will also shape our community’s public voice and brand presence. Collaborating closely with the Marketing team, you’ll analyze social media performance and marketing metrics, using these insights to continuously improve campaigns and engagement strategies. Your role involves crafting authentic and compelling communications—including newsletters, social media interactions, and community outreach—that resonate deeply with both current and prospective members.

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Key Responsibilities

Building a Vibrant Community of Practice

• Segment and strategically engage the community based on demographics, professional interests, career stages, and other relevant metrics, ensuring personalized and impactful interactions.
• Develop and manage structured platforms (digital and in-person) that enable active learners and alumni to exchange insights, best practices, and innovative ideas across different sectors and fields.
• Optimize the use of community platforms (Telegram, internal portals, or similar tools) to facilitate effective communication, collaboration, and vibrant interactions among community members.
• Plan, organize, and facilitate impactful webinars, workshops, meet-ups, and forums, fostering peer-to-peer learning, professional growth, and active community participation.
• Curate and maintain a user-friendly repository of resources, tools, templates, and best practices, accessible to learners and alumni to support ongoing professional development and collaboration.
• Recruit, train, and engage community ambassadors and volunteers to extend ALX’s reach, deepen community involvement, and support scalable growth.

Strategic Impact and Performance Analysis

• Define and track clear, strategic KPIs aligned with ALX’s organizational objectives, measuring community engagement, learner retention, alumni success, and placement outcomes.
• Create and maintain comprehensive dashboards and deliver regular analytical reports to the country team and senior management, highlighting achievements, insights, and strategic recommendations for operational excellence.
• Collect, analyze, and leverage learner and alumni feedback through surveys, direct interviews, observations, and community interactions, integrating insights into continuous improvement strategies.
• Regularly liaise with internal stakeholders from Marketing, Programs, Recruitment, and Operations to inform strategy refinement, maintain clear alignment, and ensure coordinated execution of initiatives.
• Manage budgets effectively, ensuring cost-efficient use of resources for community events, initiatives, and partnerships, while aligning expenditures with strategic objectives.

Program Knowledge and Guidance

• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of all ALX programs, including structure, content, requirements, and graduation criteria.
• Provide accurate, timely guidance and support to learners, alumni, and team members on program-specific queries and concerns.
• Anticipate and swiftly resolve potential challenges within the learner community, ensuring a consistently positive learner and alumni experience.
• Develop, update, and disseminate learner-focused resources such as FAQs, program guides, and reference materials to continually enhance the learner journey and alumni engagement.

Event Organization

• Design, plan, and execute high-quality events (webinars, workshops, meet-ups, forums, ceremonies), strategically aligned to learner retention, alumni engagement, and broader community-building objectives.
• Coordinate with internal teams, community ambassadors, external partners, vendors, and venues to ensure smooth, effective execution and maximum participant satisfaction.
• Actively involve learners and alumni in event conceptualization, programming, and execution, reinforcing community ownership and enhancing engagement.
• Manage event budgets responsibly, ensuring cost-efficient resource utilization aligned with community strategic priorities.

Market Insight and Brand Amplification

• Lead the shaping and maintenance of the ALX community brand voice and public image through authentic, impactful communication across social media, newsletters, emails, and other community touchpoints.
• Partner closely with the Marketing team to review and interpret social media performance and marketing metrics, utilizing insights to optimize campaign effectiveness and community engagement strategies.
• Identify and highlight alumni success stories and impactful learner experiences to demonstrate the tangible benefits of joining and thriving within the ALX community, amplifying brand reach and visibility.
• Stay informed of industry trends, proactively identifying new opportunities for partnerships, grants, and collaborations. Establish and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders to advocate for tech education policies, employment initiatives, and youth empowerment.
• Conduct and utilize targeted surveys to identify alumni and learner needs, emerging industry opportunities, and potential market segments, using these insights to design and execute strategic campaigns.

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Requirements

• Professional Experience: A minimum of 8 years of experience in community development and management, product development, operations, marketing, or any related field. Additional experience in project management, grant writing, and events activation is a plus.
• Educational Background: A bachelor’s degree in any field with an excellent academic track record.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English and Amharic, both verbal and written. Knowledge of other local languages is a plus.
• Communication and Presentation Abilities: Excellent skills in articulating and conveying ideas effectively in verbal, written, and visual forms.
• Relationship Management at Scale: A strong focus on customer service and a commitment to always prioritize our customers' needs.
• Partnership and Business Development Expertise: Proven experience in partnership management and business development, with a knack for strategic planning and effective execution.
• Attention to Detail: A meticulous approach to ensure the highest level of customer experience and responsiveness.
• Data Analysis Skills: Experience in using data and metrics to guide decision-making and foster continuous improvement.
• Interpersonal Competence: A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively with diverse teams.
• Learning and Growth Orientation: A humble attitude with openness to feedback, coupled with an insatiable curiosity and eagerness for personal and professional growth.
• Creativity and Innovativeness: A tendency to bring imaginative and fresh ideas to various situations.
• Sector Knowledge and Willingness to Travel: Familiarity with the tech sector, job market trends, and the educational landscape, and the willingness to travel and represent the organization at events and conferences.

This is an in-person role, located at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.